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[News] The Coronavirus Good News thread
- Thread starter Bozza
- Start date
The Wizard
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2009
- 18,398
Credit to this guy on twitter as Robertson said above, recommend anyone follow him he’s faster than even I am with statistics 
A sizeable decrease in infections, even with loosening restrictions. I really think this virus is dying out now and becoming less virulent, I’m no expert just my opinion based on numbers.
A sizeable decrease in infections, even with loosening restrictions. I really think this virus is dying out now and becoming less virulent, I’m no expert just my opinion based on numbers.
highflyer
Well-known member
- Jan 21, 2016
- 2,499
Obvious caveats apply - absolutely no guarantee that the vaccine will work. And the timescales are highly ambitious. But still.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/04/ast...o-billion-doses-of-a-coronavirus-vaccine.html
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is aiming to produce 2 billion doses of a coronavirus vaccine, including 400 million for the U.S. and U.K. and 1 billion for those in low- and middle-income countries.
It plans to start distributing the vaccine to the U.S. and U.K. in September or October, with the balance of deliveries likely to be made by early 2021, according to AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, on a call with journalists Thursday.
AstraZeneca said it had signed a licensing deal with the Serum Institute of India to provide 1 billion doses to low- and middle-income countries, with 400 million of those shots set to be delivered by the end of 2020, according to a press release Thursday.
Asked whether the vaccine will work, Soriot said, “The chance of the vaccine working I would say we all have very good hope, from what we’ve seen so far,” adding that the company is creating a comprehensive database of safety information and expects to eventually have clinical trials with more than 50,000 volunteers taking part.
We believe we can get the vaccine to hundreds of millions of people around the world, importantly, including those in the countries with the lowest income. So our goal is really to not leave anybody behind,” Soriot said.
On Thursday, governments and businesses said they would give $8.8 billion to a vaccine alliance known as Gavi, which is backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation and the World Health Organization have created a mechanism known as the Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator to make sure the vaccine is distributed fairly.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/04/ast...o-billion-doses-of-a-coronavirus-vaccine.html
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is aiming to produce 2 billion doses of a coronavirus vaccine, including 400 million for the U.S. and U.K. and 1 billion for those in low- and middle-income countries.
It plans to start distributing the vaccine to the U.S. and U.K. in September or October, with the balance of deliveries likely to be made by early 2021, according to AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, on a call with journalists Thursday.
AstraZeneca said it had signed a licensing deal with the Serum Institute of India to provide 1 billion doses to low- and middle-income countries, with 400 million of those shots set to be delivered by the end of 2020, according to a press release Thursday.
Asked whether the vaccine will work, Soriot said, “The chance of the vaccine working I would say we all have very good hope, from what we’ve seen so far,” adding that the company is creating a comprehensive database of safety information and expects to eventually have clinical trials with more than 50,000 volunteers taking part.
We believe we can get the vaccine to hundreds of millions of people around the world, importantly, including those in the countries with the lowest income. So our goal is really to not leave anybody behind,” Soriot said.
On Thursday, governments and businesses said they would give $8.8 billion to a vaccine alliance known as Gavi, which is backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation and the World Health Organization have created a mechanism known as the Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator to make sure the vaccine is distributed fairly.
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Wizzy...what do you make of this unusually positive reporting by bbc
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52933804
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52933804
The Wizard
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2009
- 18,398
Difficult for the media to spin that one into a negative to be fair
That’s quite a drop, particularly considering against the logic you would think, it’s still dropping despite people having more freedoms now.
https://twitter.com/ProfKarolSikora/status/1268835170741882880?s=20
Professor Karol Sikora
@ProfKarolSikora
·
57m
ONS figures show that the daily estimated infections are 5600 in England, down from almost 8000 last week.
A big fall considering we are moving out of lockdown.
Very important not to compare this figure to other country's reported infections - two very different figures.
Professor Karol Sikora
@ProfKarolSikora
·
57m
ONS figures show that the daily estimated infections are 5600 in England, down from almost 8000 last week.
A big fall considering we are moving out of lockdown.
Very important not to compare this figure to other country's reported infections - two very different figures.
The Wizard
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2009
- 18,398
Austria reopened bars, restaurants, cinemas, museums and other public areas nearly 3 weeks ago, they loosened public face mask requirements a week ago and have seen zero spike in new infections. We are behind Austria in our phase of the virus, but looking at timeframes of themselves and other countries I don’t think it’s unrealistic to expect similar measures to succeed here in 3/4 weeks time.
Farehamseagull
Solly March Fan Club
Certainly seems so which is great. And yet we’re just bringing in face masks and travel quarantine now. Utterly bizarre.
I guess the idea of that is to then keep cases low and eventually to zero, but yes I agree with you, does seem rather after the horse has bolted. Mandatory face masks for the past month may have seen us finish this thing off a lot quicker. Possibly.
The quarantine one really is ludicrous and completely counter productive.
The Wizard
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2009
- 18,398
Face masks from the 15th makes absolute sense, as public transport usage is going to sky rocket with non essential shops coming back. Just seen a study done in Irish schools, they found 6 cases in schools but the virus did not pass to anyone else, studies have shown children seem much less likely to pass the virus, partly because they are almost always symptomless I would guess.
This is quite striking and should provide a degree of comfort to anyone worried about risks of schools reopening - among 1,001 child contacts of six cases in a school there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19. In the school setting, among 924 child contacts and 101 adult contacts identified, there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19.
https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.21.2000903
https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.21.2000903
Wasn't sure if this belonged here or its own thread, but I certainly consider it good news. Working from home is, indeed, being accepted.
I had to go in to the office yesterday for the first time since lockdown as our lease runs out at the end of the month and I had some bits to pack into storage and equipment to bring home. Talked to my boss this morning about our plans for a new office (or, rather, lack of them, since we have been told to pack the old one but nothing about the new one).
She told me that it would be 3-6 months before we bothered moving at all and then it'll be to a smaller office where not everyone will be expected in each day. Separately, I've conducted a number of meetings and demos with my clients using Skype and Teams and we're planning on extending our travel ban to the end of the calendar year, as everyone is now used to doing things over the internet.
My company has always been quite reluctant to allow WFH. I used to get it on Fridays because I would be travelling away Monday - Thursday but not everyone did. It seems that saving a "substantial" monthly sum on non billable expenses and another substatial one from next month on rent has changed their minds. If we'd screwed up the business, of course, nothing would have changed but we have delivered well remotely.
Just good news for me right? Blowing my own trumpet? Well, a bit. But the point is we used to fly to these business meetings and many drove into the office. Work / life balance and the environment will both benefit if previously reluctant companies start shutting offices.
Of course, if you work in commercial property or an airline it's not great news - for now - but maybe your experience will get you a job in a slightly different industry that also allows you to either WFH or shorten your commute.
I had to go in to the office yesterday for the first time since lockdown as our lease runs out at the end of the month and I had some bits to pack into storage and equipment to bring home. Talked to my boss this morning about our plans for a new office (or, rather, lack of them, since we have been told to pack the old one but nothing about the new one).
She told me that it would be 3-6 months before we bothered moving at all and then it'll be to a smaller office where not everyone will be expected in each day. Separately, I've conducted a number of meetings and demos with my clients using Skype and Teams and we're planning on extending our travel ban to the end of the calendar year, as everyone is now used to doing things over the internet.
My company has always been quite reluctant to allow WFH. I used to get it on Fridays because I would be travelling away Monday - Thursday but not everyone did. It seems that saving a "substantial" monthly sum on non billable expenses and another substatial one from next month on rent has changed their minds. If we'd screwed up the business, of course, nothing would have changed but we have delivered well remotely.
Just good news for me right? Blowing my own trumpet? Well, a bit. But the point is we used to fly to these business meetings and many drove into the office. Work / life balance and the environment will both benefit if previously reluctant companies start shutting offices.
Of course, if you work in commercial property or an airline it's not great news - for now - but maybe your experience will get you a job in a slightly different industry that also allows you to either WFH or shorten your commute.
And in other news Ireland is easing lockdown faster and allowing people to meet inside houses
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...rs-in-their-homes/ar-BB155BXk?ocid=spartanntp
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...rs-in-their-homes/ar-BB155BXk?ocid=spartanntp
Convinced we will go very much the same way........one very senior exec admitted in a meeting this week he's become a WFH 'convert' over the last couple of months (many of us have been doing it for years anyway so it's no big deal) and now he's becoming a vocal advocate rather than a naysayer. I can see our group office space reducing dramatically, along with our ridiculous travel costs.
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
I believe in Joe Hendry
- Oct 4, 2003
- 11,820
There was some talk of this towards the end of May on the main thread with a couple of links (which i've included below). Very good news that this backs up what was being said. The news certainly needs to be out there more so more parents may feel confident in sending their children into school.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...ing-coronavirus-adult-exists-evidence-review/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ml?offset=93&max=100&jumpTo=comment-548884631
Sorry I know its the good news thread.
I have WFH for 15 years, a couple of points.
Make sure you home insurance company are OK with this.They may want a few quid more.
Your company should be paying for BT business broadband or similar as your be using for work more than pleasure.
Try and have a home office, it gets gutting working off the kitchen/ dinning room table.
Try and get them to pay a homeworkers allowance as in the winter your fuel bills will rocket + your laptop, printer, all take power as well as kettle ,tea and milk all cost you money. ( sounds tight I know but save the pennies and all that)
Working from home is great not just for you but the company can also save them quite a bit.
The Wizard
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2009
- 18,398
A word on today’s death total announced at 357, there appears to be some issue with PHE outside hospital data, I did think yesterday’s 176 was way too low and it appears they’ve added 220 deaths today and only 34 yesterday, some kind of processing issue I would imagine but just to reassure I don’t think this is a ‘real’ spike of deaths, hopefully they make it clear at the press conference what has happened here.
Monday to Friday death numbers comparison last three weeks
2 weeks ago 1757
Last week 1477
This week 1327
Not as big of a drop as I would have liked, but a drop none the less and remember these aren’t deaths that have actually happened in the last 5 days, they are a total of many dates that get announced each day, would be nice if there was a linear consistent % drop but statistically this isn’t likely, hopefully the % decrease gets back to 20% or more ASAP.
Infections at just 1600 today, so that is consistently coming down now which is vitally important.
Monday to Friday death numbers comparison last three weeks
2 weeks ago 1757
Last week 1477
This week 1327
Not as big of a drop as I would have liked, but a drop none the less and remember these aren’t deaths that have actually happened in the last 5 days, they are a total of many dates that get announced each day, would be nice if there was a linear consistent % drop but statistically this isn’t likely, hopefully the % decrease gets back to 20% or more ASAP.
Infections at just 1600 today, so that is consistently coming down now which is vitally important.
Wardy's twin
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2014
- 8,719
perhaps but charts pointing that its all getting better are good but they really need to be put in context...
More pertinent to this thread and what I was originally going to post .... a very personal good news story. My wife came home on Tuesday from the Royal Marsden at Chelsea after 4 weeks in a COVID ward including 5 days in ICU.
The story is perhaps more complex than most . 15 months ago She was diagnosed with Lymphoma. The first chemotherapy treatment (rchop) did not work, in addition halfway through the cycles she developed very painful blood clots .
At the end of the treatment the Lymphoma was back and possibly in her stomach.
She had stronger Chemo and that did not work.
She was then recommended to the Royal Marsden to evaluate suitability for a trial of a new treatment called CAR-T where blood T-Cells are extracted and genetically modified in California and then re-infused. This was not NHS standard treatment and she ended up being the first NHS patient to have it at Royal Marsden and probably only one of 10 in the UK at that point.
In the mean time the lump continued to grow so she had 15 sessions of radiotherapy in 21 days over Christmas.
In mid January she had a very big dose of chemo over 3 days to reduce her immune system, unfortunately she then had a severe infection in her transfusion line so the infusion of her modified cells put off a week.
3 days after infusion she ended up in ICU. This was predicted as the body starts to react to the alien cells, its called Cytokenetic Release Syndrome (CRS). She was in ICU 5 days.
She spent another week at Chelsea and then 18 days at Royal Marsden Sutton as they monitored for side affects.
We came home end of February , the lump had gone down but were coming out into the start of COVID with no immune system. So we were trying to isolate.
Early in April my wife had a PETSCAN to review how treatment had gone, it showed lump on neck was clear , issue with stomach was reduced but something on her lungs.... Over course of next 4 weeks she had all sorts of niggles and small coughs. She had she a COVID test which were negative.
Early May she started getting temperatures. I took her to RM Sutton thinking she would be their a night or 2. It went down hill as temperature spikes got worse. She was moved to Chelsea as that is where the ICU was. She was then in ICU as things got very bad.
The turning point was that the Hemotology doctors recommended the same drugs she had when she had had the previous CRS, this slowed her system down and temperatures dropped.It took another 2.5 weeks for the COVID to clear her system.
The above is really only half the story with so much else going on and so many 'side issues' which in their own right would knock you down.
She is now home and starting to recover but it will be slow.
I am fantastically happy. My wife was lucky because she ended up in one of the best hospitals in this country with some brilliant doctors and nurses who knew her and made vital decisions.
But I am also angry at the way the COVID has been mishandled and continues to be mishandled. Yes its not simple but fundamental mistakes have been made by decision makers.
CAR-T was scary but i was there everyday including sleeping in her hospital room , COVID was frightening and you are on your own.
Excellent, pleased fo you and her! All the best to you.